


Latching Onto You

by CelesteSkyeHolmes



Series: VirtueMoir Rabbithole [3]
Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Babysitting, Cute Kids, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Shenanigans, Fluff, Inspired by Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue, Other, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 22:13:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15917316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelesteSkyeHolmes/pseuds/CelesteSkyeHolmes
Summary: Ryan Reynolds asks Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir to babysit his daughters. They take him up on the offer.





	Latching Onto You

It had started off as a joke on Twitter. Ryan Reynolds had jested, “Thank you for agreeing to raise my children as your own.” Tessa was flattered, and found herself sending him a tweet months later, offering to babysit his daughters. 

After retiring from competitive figure skating, Tessa had discovered the joy of impromptu adventures. When they were working, every moment of her and Scott’s lives had been pre-planned. They scarcely had time for vacations, which left parenting out of question. While they spent time with Scott’s nieces and nephews, they had no family of their own. Not yet, at least. Rather than lament about what they did not have, Tessa focused on the liberties they could enjoy. Nowadays, she wanted nothing more than a  _ cheeky Nando’s _ . 

It was the Canadian thing to do, Tessa convinced herself, as they drove from Montr éal  to New York City.  _ Babysitting for a stranger was something one did out of common courtesy, right? _ She was absolutely not thinking about how great Scott was with kids.

As part of their sponsorship initiatives, they occasionally worked with junior skaters. While Tessa focused on training them about different techniques, Scott was a natural at coaching. Young girls were awed by his love for the ice, and he made boys feel more comfortable about dominating what was considered a  _ feminine  _ sport.

These thoughts were pushed aside as they arrived at the Pound Ridge estate in a minivan, like she had promised. For millionaires who could easily afford a luxurious mansion in Beverly Hills, a country home seemed to be a surprising choice. It was spacious, with 1.8 acres of land, but looked ordinary alongside to most Americans houses. Tessa was nonetheless enchanted by the comfortable home and decided that its appeal was elegant. Their own home in Canada was both vintage and humble, and Tessa was pleased that Blake Lively and her husband had a similar taste in real estate. 

The actors welcomed them, and immediately gave them a house tour. 

“Thank you for coming all this way,” Ryan said. “I had no idea you’d actually agree to this, but I know the kids will just love you.”

Although Tessa remained reserved, she had insisted on the trip consequently after Ryan’s offer. For the first time, it had been Scott who was hesitant about the decision.

“We don’t even know them,” he had said. 

That didn’t matter to Tessa, not today. Fellow Canadians looked out for one another, no matter what. It was like xenia, integral, and something you just did without question. 

At the mention of their names, two girls appeared. 

James had blonde, untamed curls and much like her sister, shared her mother’s blue eyes. She was tall, like her father, as her head bobbed up to Scott’s waist.

“Nice to meet you, Mistoe and Missus Moiyo,” she said, extending her hand to them.

Tessa didn’t correct her, and Blake stifled a laugh. 

Scott held her hand and crouched beside her, “It’s wonderful to meet you too. What’s your name?”

“James,” she said. “But you can call me Jamie if you like.”

“Well Jamie, you can call us Scott and Tessa.”

Inez smiled at them, chanting, “Hello!” 

Ryan admired his daughters before explaining the tasks of the day.

“Blake and I will be at the People’s Choice Awards until eleven,” he said. “There’s lasagna on the stove, and please help yourselves to whatever’s in the fridge. The girls are usually asleep by eight. Call or text us if you need anything at all.”

The girls waved to their parents, and grinned mischievously at Tessa and Scott.

“What we gonna do?” Inez asked.

“Let’s bake cupcakes!” James announced. 

Scott winked at Tessa, knowing how much she dreaded being in the kitchen. 

“I have an idea,” he said. “How about Jamie and I bake, while Tessa and Inez clean up?”

“But we just cleaned the house!” James exclaimed. 

“It’s okay, Scott. Inez and I will help decorate,” Tessa said. 

“Are you sure?” he asked. 

“It’ll be fun,” she promised. 

...

While Scott put the cupcakes in the oven, James and Inez slid across kitchen floor in their socks. 

“Look! We’re skating just like you!” James chimed. 

Tessa held onto each of their hands, harnessing potential falls. Scott didn’t need to ask if they were safe, because he knew Tessa’s grip was stronger than gravity. After all, they had skated together for twenty years.  

Scott lifted Inez into the air. 

“Wooo!” she squealed. “I’m a bird!”

“Girls, do you know what we’re going to eat now?” Tessa asked.

“Cookies!” they chanted. 

Tessa put her hands on her hips. “Not yet. Your mommy made fresh lasagna, so we’re going to have supper first.”

“What’s supper?” James asked.

“It’s like dinner.”

“Then why don’t you just call it dinner?”

“That’s what we call it in Canada.”

“Daddy’s Canadian, he never calls it that.”

Tessa crossed her arms, “Your daddy is also American, and Americans don’t like Canadian things very much.”

“But mommy loves daddy,” she stretched her arms, “and she’s American.”

“Maybe she’s secretly Canadian,” Tessa suggested. 

“I’ll ask her when she comes back.”

“You’ll be asleep.”

“Tomorrow then.”

Tessa shook her head, and Scott played with her younger sister.

“No!” Inez said, trying to escape from Scott’s arms. 

“You don’t like lasagna?” Scott asked. 

Inez nodded, as James explained, “She doesn’t like it, but mommy always makes us eat it anyway.”

“Your mommy is a very smart woman,” Tessa remarked. “Vegetables are good for you.”

“I like lots of cheese, salami, and corn,” James declared. 

“Popcorn?” Inez asked, before Scott tickled her.

“Kind of, but it’s better for you.” 

Tessa admired the kitchen, oblivious to Scott’s gaze on her. 

“Isn’t Tessa beautiful?” he whispered to them. 

“She is,” James answered. “Is that why you married her.”

Scott looked from Tessa to James’s curious eyes. They had not announced their relationship publicly, but he found it difficult to lie to children. Their blue eyes were full of innocence, and he figured their parents already knew that him and Tessa were together.

“You know, girls,” he said, sitting them down on the dinner table. “You don’t marry someone because they are beautiful. You marry them because you love them.”

“Do you wuv Tessa?” Inez asked.

“Of course I do,” he replied. “Does your daddy like mommy?”

“Not his mommy,” James said. “But he loves our mommy very much.”

Her letters slurred, but Scott didn’t seem to mind. Tessa distributed equal pieces of lasagna for all of them, and he set the table. Scott leaned over to tuck napkins into their shirts.

“How come you don’t have one?” James asked, pointing to his shirt. 

“Oops, I forgot.” He reached for more, and smiled at her. “Better?”

She nodded, carefully putting a handful of food into her mouth. Tessa set Inez into her lap, gently circling the spoon. 

“It’s an aeroplane,” she said.

Inez shrugged, confused. Scott noted her hesitation, and switched places with her. As James happily finished her plate, Tessa wiped her mouth with a wet tissue.

Meanwhile, Inez babbled as Scott told her the story of the lost aeroplane.

“When the aeroplane finally finished her food, she found her mommy again.”

Inez clapped, “Good story.”

“Do you wanna be a good aeroplane?” Scott asked. 

“Yes!” she said, raising her arms. 

“Let’s finish your food so we can decorate, okay cupcake?”

…

Once Scott was finished putting the plates into the dishwasher, he called the girls over.

“Let’s make these cupcakes beautiful.”

Ryan had texted to inform them about where the baking supplies was. 

**_Whatever you do, don’t use the glitter_ ** , he warned.

Tessa used parchment paper as a base for the mess.  _ It would be a pity to dirty such a beautiful kitchen _ , she thought.

Before they could begin, Tessa ensured that everyone washed their hands, again. Once before eating, then after. James beckoned Tessa into her room, as she tied the girl’s long tresses into a simple ponytail.

“Thank you,” she beamed.

Tessa reminded herself to style her hair afterwards.

...

Inez and Scott used purple frosting, while James and Tessa opted for chocolate.

“There’s no such thing as too much chocolate,” James said. While Tessa scolded her, she secretly agreed. Who couldn’t love a child with such great taste?

Scott lifted Inez into the air to pump out the icing. 

“You could just sit down,” Tessa suggested. 

“That wouldn’t be as much fun,” he argued. 

Meanwhile, Tessa and James decorated their half of the batch intricately. Tessa wasn’t an avid fan of cooking, but she had learnt some baking techniques from Scott’s mother. 

She demonstrated her piping, and James diligently followed her example. Naturally, her first few attempts were not the most graceful, but she was a quick learner. Tessa marvelled at the fact that a toddler could be so talented. 

“Do you want to become a chef when you grow up?” she asked.

“I want to be lots of things,” James replied. “But not an actor.”

“Why not?”

“Mommy and daddy are very busy. They’re not home a lot. I miss them when they’re gone.”

Her heart swelled, as they finished the task. After setting things aside, Tessa took her into the living room.

“Jamie, can I give you a hug?”

The girl nodded, and Tessa held her close. 

“If you ever want to talk to someone, you can call me or Scott-”

But before she could finish her sentence, James asked, “Are you going to come back?”

Tessa didn’t have the heart to say no, and instead fumbled, “Come visit us in Canada first.”

After devouring their cupcakes, Scott suggested going for a walk in the backyard. Inez requested a game of hide and seek, but Scott had more trouble navigating his way back into the home than finding the girls. Once James grew tired, Tessa prepared her for bedtime.

They brushed her teeth, combed her hair, and changed her clothes. When she tucked her into bed, Tessa sang Au clair de la lune to James.

“What does the song mean?” she asked. 

“I don’t know,” Tessa answered. “We just spent so much time in Montr éal, that it’s the first lullaby that came to my mind.”

“I don’t know any of those words.”

“It’s in French.”

“Oh, that’s another language, right?”

“Yes, it’s one of Canada’s two languages.”

There was a brief pause, before James drowsily asked, “Tessa, do you think daddy knows French?”

“I’m sure he does.”

“Do you think he’ll teach me?”

“I’ll make sure to ask him for you.”

“Thank you,” she said, closing her eyes. 

Tessa kissed her forehead, before saying goodnight to her. 

…

In the other room, Scott laid Inez into her crib. She was clean and pampered, and as exhausted as he was, a surge of happiness exuded from him. He brushed her soft hair with his fingers, and her hand latched onto his pinkie. At her age, he remembered his mother complaining about how long it took him to fall asleep, but Inez was a different story. As the clock struck eight, she began to mumble in her sleep. 

“Good night, Inez,” he whispered. 

“Night night, dada,” she replied.

…

Blake and Ryan arrived on time, and found Tessa and Scott lounging in the living room. 

“How was the party?” they asked. 

“We didn’t win, but we had a good time,” Ryan responded. 

“What?” Tessa gasped. 

“Ryan Gosling won  _ Most Hypeworthy Canadian of 2018 _ ,” Blake said.

They all shook their heads in unison, “typical”.

“So I think we’ll be leaving,” Scott stood up.

“Please. Do you really think we’d have you come so far to go so soon?” Ryan asked.

“But we don’t have our-”

“Your compensation is in the guest bedroom,” Blake smiled. “We’d like you to stay for as long as you’d like. You deserve a nice retirement.”

And sure enough, the one room they had omitted from the house tour was complete with spare clothes, toiletries, and fresh towels. 

The couples looked at one another and smiled, before engaging in apologies that would go on for the next hour.

...

You can find me here when AO3 is down: <https://www.wattpad.com/628192030-i%27m-latching-onto-you-for-the-first-time>.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, and please let me know what you think! I will be accepting prompts and requests if you'd like to see more! If you'd like to scream at or with me, you can find me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/celestial_holmes/).


End file.
